E for Effort
by everyoneisMISunderstood
Summary: Chiron decides it's finally time for Percy to learn how to use the Mist. And who better to teach and tutor a Seaweed Brain like Percy than a Wise Girl like Annabeth? Oneshot. Percabeth.


**(A/N) I dunno how I came up with this, but who really cares, as long as it's interesting! **

**Annabeth POV**

I, Annabeth Chase, almost started whining. Yes that's right, whining like a little girl (or you know, a certain Seaweed Brain I happen to be dating). "You're kidding. But you _know_ how slow Percy can be!"

Chiron sighed. "Yes, Annabeth, I know. However, I also know that this will be a great lesson on patience. As they say, patience is the key to wisdom."

I tilted my head to the side. "Uh," I began, not wanting to insult my favorite teacher ever, "I'm not exactly familiar with that quote."

"That would be because I just made that up." The centaur chuckled. I opened my mouth but then quickly closed it, not wanting to seem too snotty. "He's been begging to learn about how to use the Mist for years," The activities director paused before pleading, "You can even take him off campus!"

I sighed and bowed my head, knowing I had lost. And yes, Chiron's bribe did have some affect as to why I agreed to go. "Alright, but you owe me _big time._"

* * *

Percy ran up to me. "Hey!" He said brightly, about to wrap his arms around me when I flicked my arm out to stop him.

"Uh-uh." I told him, shaking my head. "Today's all business."

He got that look; that I'm-about-to-whine-and-there's-nothing-you-can-do-about-it look. "C'mon, Annabeth! Can't I give you a hug?"

I shook my head slightly in amusement but didn't shove him as he tugged me close to his chest. I waited a few seconds before coughing slightly. He groaned and pulled away from me. "What's so important that we can't enjoy a day off campus together? Chiron _never_ lets us go off campus together! He always says, 'Oh, you know that's against camp regulations, Percy. If you go, all the couples will beg to go and I can't show you two favoritism. You two have to set the example, you're usually very good with... er, what are you all calling it? PDA?' And he just keeps going on an on!" I tried not to laugh during Percy's bad imitation of Chiron. When he calmed down, he asked, "Where are we going to go, anyway?"

I responded quickly, "We'll probably just go walk around New York City for awhile, hit the food court when we get hungry. Nothing fancy. Besides, Chiron made sure I knew we had to be back for dinner."

Percy started grumbling under his breath about how unfair this was. "I really hate learning."

I laughed. There really was no hope for him. "Well, at least you're learning about the Mist."

I would have expected Percy to show an ounce of excitement, but of course he didn't. For someone who has ADHD, sometimes he sure can have a one-track mind. "Who cares about the stupid Mist! I just wanted to spend a day with my girlfriend."

Rolling my eyes, I commented, "Percy, you've been bugging Chiron about this ever since you saw Thalia use it at that dance. Don't you remember?"

"Yeah, but still…"

I stifled a chuckle at his facial expression. "Your head is full of kelp."

He grinned. "That's why you love me."

"Suuuuuure…" But I smiled when I said it.

* * *

I took a deep breath and sent a quick prayer to my mother asking for patience. "Alright, Percy. When you try to change the way someone sees something, you have to believe it too. You don't have to snap, but you can if you want to, but in my personal experience it makes no difference in the way the Mist will affect people. You have to be able to envision the object or event or whatever taking a different… Are you even listening to me?"

Percy was looking at something and then blushed and bowed his head, looking ashamed. "Uh, yeah."

I followed his previous line of sight and saw a pretty redhead who looked a lot like Rachel Elizabeth Dare giggling with a bunch of her friends and pointing at my boyfriend. My eyes narrowed and I snapped at Percy, "Do you need a demonstration? Wave those girls over here."

He shot me a confused look before beckoning to the girls who jumped excitedly and ran over to us. The redhead twirled a strand of hair around her finger and fluttered her lashes. "Hey."

I tried not to glare. After all, I wasn't the jealous type. Who me? No way. But still, these girls needed to be taught a lesson about targeting poor innocent guys and flirting themselves into people's lives.

I turned my attention on the group of people and felt the Mist swirling around me in a cloud. I forced the Mist into their brains and envisioned a bag man standing in Percy's place. "Why are you flirting with a hobo? That's just wrong…"

The girls all backed up. I couldn't help but laugh as they got the most terrified expressions on their faces. We were in the Big Apple, they really shouldn't have been so surprised at the sight of a hobo. One brunette ran away, screaming over her shoulder, "Please don't hurt me!"

The rest of the girls shrieked and hopped away while everyone else on the street stared at them oddly. A few people whispered, "Maybe they're gonna be in a movie."

Percy looked at me with amusement, "Jealous?"

I snorted. "Please. They just presented an excellent opportunity for an example! So as I was saying, in order to manipulate the Mist you have to…"

* * *

Percy was staring at a stand. The stand was advertising a new type of saltwater taffy. And yes, it was blue. "You're drooling." Percy turned and glared at me before trying to subtly wipe his mouth. I chuckled.

"Do you think I could try to 'convince' that guy to give me some of that candy for free?" He asked me, turning hopeful eyes on me.

I stifled my amusement and told him, "You can try, but you do realize that free samples are there for you to take."

Percy huffed. "Well, fine! I'll ask him to give me _five_ pieces instead of the standard _one_!" He stomped away.

I followed him shaking my head, wondering what went on inside his head sometimes.

I held in my laughter as Percy put on his thinking face. His nose scrunched up and he stuck his jaw out a little. In a weird voice, he told the poor old man, "You really want to give me that candy… give me the candy. Five whole pieces of candy."

The old man backed up in his chair. Terrified, he shouted, "Take the candy! Take it all, just don't hurt me! I'm only an old man," He stumbled up and ran inside the sweet shop screaming, "There's a creepy adolescent outside! Those whipperschnappers just get worse!" He broke off coughing.

I wasn't sure whether I should laugh at or smack Percy. In the end, I decided the slapping was more appropriate. "Percy! You just caused some sweet little old guy to potentially die from a coughing fit!"

My boyfriend shook his head with a distressed look on his face. "I didn't mean to. I only wanted some blue taffy. Besides, I just have this feeling that he'll be fine."

I sighed. "Percy, Percy, Percy."

* * *

About an hour later, Percy was complaining about how he'd never be able to eat this much taffy. "Wait. There's a little girl. I bet she'd like some candy!"

Before I could tell him to stop and that it wouldn't go over well, Percy was cooing at the cute little five-year old. She clutched her teddy bear anxiously, probably hoping the stranger would just go away and leave her alone.

"Hi! Do you want some candy? It's really good, I promise."

The little girl's eyes widened. She let out a loud shriek. "My mommy said to never take candy from strangers!"

Everyone rushed over, me along with them. I knelt by the little girl and knocked the teddy out of her hands. "Hey, honey. Sorry, my friend is just a little silly. He didn't do anything weird, did he?"

It was always easier to manipulate little kids, especially the scared ones. I imagined the white cloud going inside of her and filling her up with false thoughts of what Percy said to her. Percy was passing the teddy bear to her and she said, "No. He just got my teddy for me."

All the strangers looked confused, but shrugged and walked away, talking about how weird that was. "Maybe she's crazy or something."

I smirked at Percy who scowled back. "Well how was I supposed to know she was gonna start screaming?"

All I said was, "You know, Percy, a lot of people are accusing you of being a creeper today."

He opened his mouth to make some smart remark but then closed it. Eventually he muttered, "Don't be such a Wise Girl…"

* * *

"I'm hungry." I commented quietly, inhaling the fumes of the food court. "Do you think we can get something to eat?"

Percy grinned. "Betcha I can convince that guy to give me some of his food."

I lifted my eyebrows and told him, "How much do you want to bet?"

"Ten bucks and a golden drachma," He held out his hand, ready for me to shake it. I clasped it and shook his hand firmly.

I smirked. "You got a deal."

He smiled at me evilly before walking over to a man with two kids and his wife. "No, Angie, you can't have ice cream before you eat your lunch!"

Percy tapped on the man's shoulder. "Hello, sir. I couldn't help but notice you seemed to have your hands full with all that pizza. Would you mind helping out a teenage kid who forgot his wallet?"

The man eyed the demigod strangely. "Uh, sorry?" His wife began herding their children over to the fish tank, saying something about how pretty the coral was.

I chuckled as Percy inhaled and exhaled, inhaled and exhaled. "Focus, Percy, focus," He murmured to himself. "Give me some pizza." He sounded like he was either choking or trying to sound like Darth Vader and failing miserably.

The man mumbled under his breath, "These New York freaks just keep getting weirder. We should've stayed in Michigan." Then he raised his voice and spoke slowly, as though he were talking to someone who had lost his mind. "I bought this pizza, I'm eating it. Sorry."

"Oh come on!" Percy exclaimed before walking over to me and slumping down in his chair.

In the background, I heard a woman saying, "Yes that's the one! With the green eyes."

Moments later, a security guard was shuffling Percy out the door. If he wanted, Percy probably could have thrown them all the way to Tartarus, but that probably wouldn't go over well. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?"

"Sorry, sir. Just following the standard protocol." One man grunted in a deep, gruff voice.

Percy's green gaze me my own and I could practically hear him asking, "Please?"

"I knew this was a bad idea…" I muttered before walking over to Percy and the man whose name tag read "Dennis."

* * *

Percy just asked me, "I guess I failed this course, huh?"

"Weeellll," I drug out the word as I tried to think of a nice way to tell Percy that he did indeed fail.

He sighed. "Face it, Annabeth. I really suck at this. I made an old guy go to the hospital, a little girl thought I was some psycho kidnapper, and I got us kicked out of the food court. There's no way even you can tutor me into being amazing at using the Mist."

I stretched my hand up and patted his head. "It wasn't really that bad." I winced as my voice came out sounding hollow and fake.

Percy winced. "What are you gonna tell Chiron?"

"Uh, maybe that you just…" I trailed off before saying, "Maybe you just need more time, that's all!"

He brightened and asked, "Hey, if I can use the Mist on you, would I be able to pass?"

He looked at me right in the eyes and whispered, "Will you kiss me?" His green eyes bored holes straight into my soul.

What could be so bad about kissing my boyfriend? He was pretty amazing, after all. I leaned up, and just when my lips were about to touch his…

I realized he actually did it. He used the Mist on me. Or was it the Mist? Either way, I wasn't going to admit to him that he overpowered me with charms or by mythological means. I smirked in a desperate attempt to covered how flustered I was. "Nice try, Seaweed Brain. But if I know you're going to use the Mist on me, it won't work."

He scowled and swore in Greek. I couldn't help myself from smiling. Oh, what the Hades. Chiron would never know…

I leaned up and pecked him on the lips. We were both smiling when I said, "You didn't _fail_, Percy. You get an E for effort."

**(A/N) I didn't really like the way that turned out, it sounded a lot better in my head. Review anyway?**


End file.
